Opinion: It's time to ban mandatory high heels in Alberta eateries

An office worker is seen wearing high-heeled shoes in Makati, Manila's financial district, on September 25, 2017. The Philippines has banned companies from compelling women to wear high heels to work under a government order hailed by labour groups on September 25 as a victory against sexism and torture.NOEL CELIS / AFP/Getty Images

As a restaurant owner, I’ve picked up a few wardrobe tips over the years.

Black clothes are great for hiding stains. Anything that gets in your way isn’t worth your time. But one thing towers above the rest.

Every worker should be free to ditch their high heels.

My feet are object lessons. They are shaped like the shoes I threw away nearly a decade ago. Working for a restaurant chain compressed my feet into diamonds. My doctor says I’ll need surgery to undo the damage.

Like many in the hospitality sector, I took the dress code in stride. I was young and ambitious. Dresses were tight. Heels were two inches at least. These were fixed laws in our universe.

Yet carrying trays of food and drinks is an endurance race, not a fashion show. Speed is essential. Tripping hazards are everywhere. Every server feels the pressure. They often have blisters or gashes to prove it.

I learned a few survival lessons. One was to lean on high-top tables to take the weight off, at least for a few seconds. The staff room became my sanctuary. As I pulled off my shoes, I didn’t just feel relief, I experienced excruciating ecstasy.

My shoes were restrictive, but I also knew the rules wouldn’t budge either. When a co-worker showed up for a shift in kitten heels, they’d get a lecture about the swift boot.

“This is our dress code,” the manager would say. “If you can’t wear the uniform, we’ll find someone who will.”

So I pushed through the pain. Within a year, I was tapped as a shift leader, then a day manager. But climbing the corporate ladder didn’t mean better footwear. The pain in my toes began to radiate outward.

Any medical professional will tell you that high heels aren’t good for you. Not only do they put incredible pressure on the balls of your feet, they push your lower back forward. Your joints and muscles compensate, a balancing act that will knock anyone over. As many of us know, the effects can be life-long.

Across Canada, nightmare stories have prompted public backlash against heels. Some restaurant chains have eased dress codes, at least on paper, though unspoken expectations have a way of creeping in.

It shouldn’t be up to managers. That’s why B.C. and Ontario have made heels optional, and Alberta needs to follow in their footsteps.

The final push for me came in a performance review. Asked where I saw myself in five years, I gazed into the future. I wasn’t standing in that restaurant.

The philosophy broke me, not the heels. Restaurant crews use deft hands to make delicacies appear, the hours more enjoyable, laughs and smiles deeper. When they succeed, they are magicians. But in that restaurant, the biggest trick was looking good.

Like many girls, I struggled with feeling I wasn’t good enough. The clothes weren’t cheap. I wasn’t becoming a millionaire. I eventually realized that it was the job, not me. So I gave my notice and switched to a cute pair of flats, ready to be fired. Nobody called my bluff.

Nearly a decade later, I still live in flats. I’m proud to co-own and manage a restaurant in downtown Edmonton. The focal point is food, not feet. The vibe is casual, the inspiration Italian. In Europe, servers often wear running shoes. If glasses are full and customers satisfied, whatever gets the servers from A to B should be enough.

Doctors have told me I should hold off on the corrective surgery for now. Pregnancy changes your feet, so I’ll have to wear toe-spacers until I trade them in for baby shoes.

I’m more baffled than ever by the four-inch heels I see in restaurants. I fight the urge to sidle up to servers and whisper my favourite fashion tip.

Every worker should be free to ditch their heels. They aren’t worth the hassle.

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